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There are five elements of flavor in any dish or drink: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, umami. (Those first four are pretty self-explanatory; umami is a somewhat elusive term that basically means \u201csavory.\u201d) The best flavor experiences combine as many of those elements as possible; while some are sure to stick out \u2014 in a cake, it\u2019s no doubt the sweetness \u2014 the others can provide a much needed complement so that no single component is overpowering. In that same cake, there\u2019s assuredly a touch of salt, some bitter (chocolate and\/or baking soda), possibly sour (perhaps in the form of a curd), and maybe even umami in a cream cheese frosting or an herbal addition. <\/span><\/p>\n When you stop and think about it, the dishes you love most are those that combine and balance all five elements of flavor. <\/span><\/p>\n In the world of cocktails, it\u2019s pretty common to be served drinks that are too sweet, leaning heavily on just one, maybe two, flavor elements. But the best drinks are those that add unexpected components, like salty or bitter. If a drink tastes particularly balanced, not overly sweet or sour, it\u2019s most likely incorporating one of these other elements. Most often, that secret ingredient that bartenders rely on is something called, naturally enough, <\/span>bitters<\/span><\/i>. <\/span><\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking to boost your skill as a home mixologist, it\u2019s worth getting to know this least understood member of the home bar.<\/span><\/p>\n Learning what bitters are and how to use them can be eye-opening and taste bud-enlivening for the connoisseur of cocktails. <\/span><\/p>\n Bitters constitute a super-concentrated, flavored liquid that adds a dose of the bitter element to any cocktail, mocktail<\/a>, or even sauce and\/or marinade. <\/span><\/p>\n Bitters contain a wide variety of different botanicals (the mixture and ratios of each brand are very tightly held corporate secrets) and are relatively simple to manufacture, at least compared to other alcohols: Those botanicals \u2014 fruits, herbs, nuts, roots, spices, etc. \u2014 are steeped in a clear alcohol for some amount of time. Then there\u2019s generally a touch of sugar and food coloring added and it\u2019s all filtered into a bottle. There\u2019s no actual distilling or alcohol production happening. <\/span><\/p>\n Though the liquid is in fact alcoholic (to the tune of around 40% ABV, which is about the same as any spirit), you use such a small amount \u2014 just a few dashes in the vast majority of drinks \u2014 that bitters don\u2019t impact the overall ABV of a drink, and they\u2019re also fine for pregnant women and most teetotalers (not including recovering alcoholics, as the taste alone may be triggering). <\/span><\/p>\n There are also bitter spirits, like Campari (which makes a Negroni taste so darn good<\/a>) and Amaro. These play more of a starring role in the cocktails which include them. I wouldn\u2019t necessarily recommend keeping a bottle of bitter spirits in your home bar unless you\u2019re loyal to a particular cocktail that uses them. <\/span><\/p>\n Angostura. <\/b>The classic \u2014 if you have bitters in your home bar, this is almost assuredly the one. If a cocktail recipe calls for bitters, it\u2019s nearly always Angostura. The recipe is a secret blend of ~40 herbs, spices, roots, and more (nobody <\/span>really<\/span><\/i> knows). The result is an almost spicy bitter flavor, led by cinnamon and clove. Angostura is found in a number of classic cocktails, most notably the Old Fashioned and the Manhattan<\/a>. There\u2019s no reason not to stock a bottle in your home bar.<\/span><\/p>\n Peychaud\u2019s.<\/b> Another classic and quite versatile. Given its French origins (via New Orleans), it\u2019s no surprise that the leading flavors in Peychaud\u2019s bitters are anise, licorice, and vanilla, giving it an absinthe-like quality. It\u2019s not found in as many classic cocktails, but it does contribute to a mean Sazerac<\/a>, which is one of my personal favorites. <\/span><\/p>\n Dealer\u2019s choice.<\/b> Besides these two classics, grab one other bottle of bitters in a flavor you particularly enjoy, or perhaps based on the season. I love all things cherry, so I keep cherry bitters on hand. It adds a grenadine-like kick to any drink, but without that syrupy, overly sweet intensity. <\/span><\/p>\n The options for bitters in today\u2019s marketplace are legion. You can get almond, mint, a variety of fruits, general \u201cherbal\u201d bitters, celery, etc. Stroll on down to your local liquor store and see what they have available. <\/span><\/p>\n You might also notice one that I haven\u2019t included: Regan\u2019s Orange Bitters. It\u2019s one you\u2019ll see on a lot of lists, but which I\u2019ve personally found does not have much flavor. In a home taste test with a few family members, it was unanimously the least distinguishable of any of the handful of bitters we tried. <\/span><\/p>\n Plenty of cocktail recipes call for a specific kind of bitters, usually measured in \u201cdashes.\u201d A bottle of bitters is basically constructed like a hot sauce bottle; it comes out in dribs and drabs when you shake it. Various flavors of bitters are somewhat interchangeable \u2014 you can certainly use Angostura when Peychaud\u2019s is called for \u2014 but the flavor profile is likely to be altered from what\u2019s intended. A Sazerac made with Angostura bitters tastes quite a bit different than one made with Peychaud\u2019s. That\u2019s not always a bad thing, just be aware of it. A few dashes of bitters will have more say in the final flavor than you\u2019d expect. <\/span><\/p>\n Here\u2019s a fun test to try this out with friends or family: make three basic Old Fashioneds using a few different types of bitters. Combine 2 oz bourbon, 1 oz simple syrup (or a sugar cube), a couple dashes of bitters \u2014 easy peasy. Pour them out, just a couple sips\u2019 worth, into individual tasting glasses and see what everyone thinks. Angostura bitters provide that absolutely classic Old Fashioned flavor; cherry bitters are a little sweeter and make for the most dessert-like drink; Peychaud\u2019s will give it a licorice essence. <\/span><\/p>\nWhat Are Cocktail Bitters?<\/h3>\n
3 Bitters to Keep on Your Shelf <\/h3>\n
How to Use Bitters<\/h3>\n